Losing ground in climate influence
J TOWERS (June 27, “The enormous strides the UK is trying to make”) was kind enough to mention my letter criticising those who endlessly repeat that the UK emits 1 per cent of greenhouse gases and shouldn’t involve itself in taking active steps to control emissions.
It doesn’t matter what our national share of global emissions is, it is in our national interest that global climate change should be addressed vigorously, which requires influence. We have lately lost influence, which is a national failure.
Ms Towers refers me to a letter from Ananda Nidhi (June 22) who quite rightly points out that energy storage technologies, mostly developed outside the UK, are fast improving, and will help address the intermittency issue with solar and wind energy. I agree. These technologies can’t come soon enough. Unfortunately, in the UK we spend relatively trivial sums on green energy research and development.
Ms Towers criticises me for using strong language to describe Mr Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. My only regret is that the word “bestial” compares humans to other animal species. Humanity is morally responsible where other species are not.
Ms Towers criticises my view that we should make strategic economic, social, educational and scientific deals to co-operate with potentially like-minded nations, and I’m thinking of our European neighbours, to gear up our global climate influence with them and through them onto the world stage.
Our government should aim to restore lost influence by repairing former relationships as speedily as possible. If we as a nation were setting out to make friends and influence people on climate we could hardly have done a worse job. Dr Andrew Blewett.